When a client offers harsh, fundamental criticism during a pitch, the best response is not to defend the work but to acknowledge the miss. One CEO won a pitch by immediately conceding the point and offering to re-pitch, demonstrating humility and confidence.
A significant ethical concern involves pitch intermediaries charging fees to both the client and the winning agency. This "double dipping" creates a conflict of interest that can skew the selection process, undermining the goal of finding the best partner.
Agencies should refuse to pitch if a prospective client will not provide a budget. This policy protects valuable resources from being wasted on ill-defined or non-committal opportunities. There are polite but firm ways to request this crucial information before proceeding.
While the initial RFI pool can be large, the final presentation stage should be limited to just three agencies, with four as an absolute maximum. This ensures the client team can remain engaged, properly differentiate the proposals, and avoid decision fatigue.
Elaborate pitch theatrics carry significant risk and must align with the client's brand. An agency was rejected for using plastic balloons by a sustainability-focused client. Theatrics must demonstrate deep research into a client's values, not just generic creativity.
Brands can host a single "immersion day" for all shortlisted agencies together. This format allows competitors to meet the team, ask questions openly, and gain deep brand insight simultaneously, fostering transparency and leading to higher-quality, better-informed proposals.
Brands using AI to write RFPs are a red flag. These documents are easy to spot and lack the specific, human insight needed for a quality response. Briefs should come directly from senior decision-makers to clearly articulate the business's actual needs.